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Archiver > CAN-SHIPSLISTS-PRE1865 > 2005-05 > 1117079719
From: elle andra-warner <>
Subject: Re: [CanShipsPre1865] LEITH BLACK CAMERON RICHARDSON GEMMELL BROWNLEE(BROWNLIE BROWNLEY) surnames
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 23:55:19 -0400
References: <BEBB969A.60B7%ajmac@internet.co.nz>
Have you tried the Hudson's Bay Company Archives for genealogy? The website
is
www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/genealogy/gen_text/index.html.
You can request the biographical history for anyone that worked for the
Hudson's Bay Company or the North West Company.
The Hudson's Bay Company did have their own ships that travelled to
fur-trading forts in Hudson Bay like York Factory, Fort Albany, etc. A
large number of their employees came from Orkney. Some men had "country
wives" meaning they had a Native wife and children while they served in the
isolated outposts with HBC in Canada, but once they left the outposts, a
large majority also left behind the Native wife and sometimes the children.
There are some good books published on the country wives - I'd be glad to
send some book titles/authors.
Your question about "expatriate Scots to have their children born in
Scotland?". Their children from "country wives" were born in Rupert's Land
(now Canada). Very few men took their Native ''country wives'' back to
Scotland.
The North West Company, headquartered in Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder
Bay) merged with the HBC in 1821. Some of the NWC archives are located at
the Fort William Historical Park (reconstructed). I live in Thunder Bay and
would be glad to forward you some contacts there, if he served any time in
the fur trade in Fort William or Grand Portage.
Elle Andra-Warner
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Canada
.
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